Wrap for bundling objects

Abstract

An apparatus may include an elongate piece of first material having flexible qualities with a flexible strip of second, more rigid, and bendable material enclosed within the first material. The apparatus may be twist-tied around equipment for relatively easy transport or may also be used to secure items in place.

1. An apparatus for securing articles, said apparatus comprising:
 an elongate piece of first material having flexible qualities, the first material comprising soft foam material; 
 a strip of flexible material enclosed within the length of said elongate piece of first material, wherein the strip of flexible material comprises a metal wire, the soft foam material directly abutting the strip of flexible material; 
 a first end cap placed over a first end of said elongate piece of first material; and 
 a second end cap placed over a second end of said elongate piece of first material; 
 wherein said strip of flexible material can be easily bent and has a degree of rigidity which allows said apparatus to retain its form when bent or straightened; and 
 wherein said apparatus is adapted to be wrapped around a number of articles for securing said articles for storage or transport; 
 wherein said apparatus is at least ten inches in length so as to wrap around said articles for storage or transport. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said strip of flexible material is a solid metal wire. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said elongate piece of first material is of a sufficient thickness to cause articles being carried therein to be graspable from contact with a surface while wearing gloves. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said elongate piece of first material has a substantially non-slip exterior. 
   
   
     5. A method for using the apparatus of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 securing articles, independent of hair or a wig, by wrapping said apparatus around said articles and twist-tying end portions of said apparatus together. 
 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the soft foam material is defined by a tubular shape having a length of at least 10 inches to about 50 inches, wherein the metal wire comprises a solid wire of about 14 gauge. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the soft foam material is co-extruded onto the strip of flexible material so as to engage the strip of flexible material. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is adapted to wrap around said articles in a non-slip, soft, and non-scratch engagement. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said articles comprise an elongate piece of recreational equipment and an elongate piece of adjacent equipment. 
   
   
     10. A method of securing a plurality of elongate articles, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first flexible strip of material adapted to be easily bent, said first flexible strip of material having a degree of rigidity which allows said first flexible strip of material to retain its form when bent or straightened, the first flexible strip of material being enclosed by a first elongate piece of flexible material, said first elongate piece of flexible material comprised of a soft foam material that directly abuts the first flexible strip of material, wherein said first elongate piece of flexible material is at least ten inches in length; 
 wrapping said plurality of elongate articles with said first elongate piece of flexible material; 
 twist-tying said first elongate piece of flexible material around said plurality of elongate articles; 
 providing a second flexible strip of material adapted to be easily bent, said second flexible strip of material having a degree of rigidity which allows said second flexible strip of material to retain its form when bent or straightened, the second flexible strip of material being enclosed by-a second elongate piece of flexible material, wherein said second elongate piece of flexible material is at least ten inches in length; 
 wrapping said plurality of elongate articles with said second elongate piece of flexible material a predetermined distance from said first elongate piece of flexible material; and 
 twist-tying said second elongate piece of flexible material. 
 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elongate pieces of flexible material are wrapped around said plurality of elongate articles in a non-slip, soft, and non-scratch engagement. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of elongate articles comprise an elongate piece of recreational equipment and an elongate piece of adjacent equipment. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said first flexible strip of material comprises a metal wire. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first elongate piece of flexible material is co-extruded onto the first flexible strip of material so as to directly abut the first flexible strip of material. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elongate pieces of flexible material each have a tubular shape extending at least 10 inches to about 50 inches in length, wherein the first and second flexible strips of material each comprise solid wire of about 14 gauge. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second elongate pieces of flexible material have end caps disposed at the free ends thereof. 
   
   
     17. A method of securing and transporting a plurality of elongate articles, said method comprising the steps of:
 placing a plurality of elongate articles together; 
 wrapping and twist-tying a first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material around a first end of said plurality of elongate articles, said first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material enclosing a first flexible strip of material such that the first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material directly abuts the first flexible strip of material, wherein said first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material is at least ten inches in length; 
 wrapping and twist-tying a second elongate piece of flexible soft foam material around a second end of said plurality of elongate articles, said second elongate piece of flexible soft foam material enclosing a second flexible strip of material, wherein said second elongate piece of flexible soft foam material is at least ten inches in length; 
 grasping said plurality of elongate articles; and 
 transporting said plurality of elongate articles. 
 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 17  wherein said plurality of elongate articles are grasped between said first and second elongate pieces of flexible material. 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second elongate pieces of flexible soft foam material are wrapped around said plurality of elongate articles in a non-slip, soft, and non-scratch engagement. 
   
   
     20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of elongate articles comprise an elongate piece of equipment and an elongate piece of adjacent equipment. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 17 , wherein said first flexible strip of material comprises a metal wire. 
   
   
     22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material is co-extruded onto the first flexible strip of material so as to directly abut the first flexible strip of material. 
   
   
     23. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second elongate pieces of flexible soft foam material each have a tubular shape extending at least 10 inches to about 50 inches in length, wherein the first and second flexible strips of material each comprise solid wire of about 14 gauge. 
   
   
     24. A method of handling a plurality of elongate articles, said method comprising the steps of:
 placing a plurality of elongate articles together; 
 wrapping and securing a first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material around a first end of said plurality of elongate articles, said first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material enclosing and insulating a thinner first flexible strip of material such that the first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material directly abuts the first flexible strip of material, wherein said first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material is at least ten inches in length; and 
 wrapping and securing a second elongate piece of flexible soft foam material around a second end of said plurality of elongate articles, said second elongate piece of flexible soft foam material enclosing and insulating a thinner second flexible strip of material, wherein said second elongate piece of flexible soft foam material is at least ten inches in length. 
 
   
   
     25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second elongate pieces of flexible soft foam material are wrapped around said plurality of elongate articles in a non-slip, soft, and non-scratch engagement. 
   
   
     26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein said plurality of elongate articles comprise an elongate piece of equipment and an elongate piece of adjacent equipment. 
   
   
     27. The method of  claim 24 , wherein said first flexible strip of material comprises a metal wire. 
   
   
     28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first elongate piece of flexible soft foam material is co-extruded onto the first flexible strip of material so as to directly abut the first flexible strip of material. 
   
   
     29. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second elongate pieces of flexible soft foam material each have a tubular shape extending at least 10 inches to about 50 inches in length, wherein the first and second flexible strips of material each comprise solid wire of about 14 gauge. 
   
   
     30. A system for securing articles, said system comprising:
 a first elongate tie comprised of a first flexible soft foam material insulating member throughout the length of said first elongate tie and a second flexible material member, of a cross-section dimension less than said first flexible material member and a rigidity greater than said first flexible material, enclosed within the length of said first elongate tie, wherein the second flexible material member of the first elongate tie comprises a metal wire, the first flexible soft foam material directly abutting the second flexible material member; 
 a second elongate tie comprised of a third flexible soft foam material insulating member throughout the length of said second elongate tie and a fourth flexible material member, of a cross-section dimension less than said third flexible material member and a rigidity greater than said third flexible material, enclosed within the length of said second elongate tie; 
 wherein said first elongate tie and said second elongate tie are each at least ten inches in length and each are adapted to be wrapped around at least two elongate articles to secure said articles. 
 
   
   
     31. The system of  claim 30 , wherein said first flexible material and said third flexible material are foam rubber. 
   
   
     32. The system of  claim 30 , wherein said second flexible material and said fourth flexible material are metal strips. 
   
   
     33. The system of  claim 30 , wherein the first flexible soft foam material insulating member is defined by a tubular shape having a length of at least 10 inches to about 50 inches, wherein the metal wire comprises a solid wire of about 14 gauge. 
   
   
     34. The system of  claim 30 , wherein the first flexible soft foam material is co-extruded onto the strip of flexible material so as to engage the second flexible material member. 
   
   
     35. The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least two elongate articles comprise an elongate piece of recreational equipment and an elongate piece of adjacent equipment. 
   
   
     36. A twist-tie system for securing adjacent equipment, the system comprising:
 a first twist-tie device having a length of at least 10 inches and a diameter between about 0.5 inch and about 2.5 inches, the first twist-tie device comprising a first strip of flexible wire enclosed within a first soft foam member along the length of the first twist-tie device, wherein the first soft foam member is co-extruded onto the first strip of flexible wire so that the first soft foam member is adjacent to the first strip of flexible wire, 
 a second twist-tie device having a length of at least 10 inches and a diameter between about 0.5 inch and about 2.5 inches, the second twist-tie device comprising a second strip of flexible wire enclosed within a second soft foam member along the length of the second twist-tie device, wherein the second soft foam member is co-extruded onto the second strip of flexible wire so that the second soft foam member is adjacent to the second strip of flexible wire, 
 wherein said first twist-tie device and said second twist-tie device each have a degree of rigidity so as to retain its form when bent to wrap around an elongate equipment piece and a second adjacent equipment piece to twist-tie the equipment together. 
 
   
   
     37. The system of  claim 36 , wherein the soft foam member of each of the first and second twist-tie devices has a tubular shape extending a length of at least 10 inches to about 50 inches, wherein the strip of flexible wire of each of the first and second twist-tie devices comprises metal wire of about 14 gauge. 
   
   
     38. The system of  claim 36 , wherein the first soft foam member directly abuts the first strip of flexible wire without an intermediate layer therebetween. 
   
   
     39. The system of  claim 36 , wherein the first and second twist-tie devices are operable to physically wrap around the elongate equipment piece and the second adjacent equipment piece in a non-slip, soft, and non-scratch engagement. 
   
   
     40. The system of  claim 36 , wherein the elongate equipment piece and the second adjacent equipment piece comprise an elongate piece of recreational equipment and an elongate piece of adjacent equipment. 
   
   
     41. The system of  claim 40 , wherein the recreational equipment comprises a first ski equipment and wherein the adjacent equipment comprises a second ski equipment. 
   
   
     42. The system of  claim 36 , wherein the elongate equipment piece comprises an elongate rod member and the second adjacent equipment piece comprise a second elongate rod member. 
   
   
     43. The system of  claim 36 , further comprising end caps disposed at free ends of each of the first and second twist-tie devices. 
   
   
     44. The system of  claim 36 , wherein each of said first soft foam member and said second soft foam member comprises a soft foam material selected from the group consisting of foam rubber and sponge rubber. 
   
   
     45. The system of  claim 36 , wherein the strip of flexible wire of each of the first and second twist-tie devices comprises a metal wire.